


It Takes a Village

by shanachie



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-11
Updated: 2018-06-11
Packaged: 2019-05-20 20:04:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14901089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shanachie/pseuds/shanachie
Summary: Magnus agreed to watch a little warlock... but it takes a village for a child... even if the childisn'ta warlock.





	It Takes a Village

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Brumeier](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Brumeier/gifts).



> Thanks to its_not_my_fault, I am currently _obsessed_ with Shadowhunters--at least the TV show. I apologize ahead of time for all the comment_fic prompts that have been taken over by these characters lately. But I should be out of these prompts soon. At least the "any" prompts that I've turned into Shadowhunter prompts.
> 
> This is my June story for my 12 Stories over on WDC. And thanks, of course, to its_not_my_fault for the help she gave me. This time, darling? It IS your fault.

[brumeier Any, any m/m, taking in a baby/child for the holidays](https://comment-fic.livejournal.com/872500.html?thread=106084404#t106084404)

 

“You did what?!”

It was rare that Alec raised his voice and this time, Magnus realized it was more out of shock than anything else. That helped him reply calmly. “I told Catarina that we’d, well I, would watch Madzie while she was away,” he explained calmly.

“Why would you do that?”

“Who else could she trust?” Magnus was practical. “And she can’t take Madzie with her, not to visit her mundane family.”

Alec stared at him in shock, his hands lax in the dishwater. “I didn’t even think you _liked_ children.”

“In general, no. Specific children? Madzie and Max? Yes.” Magnus sighed. “Alexander, as the high Warlock of Brooklyn...”

Alec grinned at him. “Former.”

A small gesture waved that away. “Fine, former. Part of my duties was to take care of my people just like yours are to care for your Shadowhunters.”

Alec pulled his hands from the water, quickly drying them, before moving until he was standing inches from Magnus. Reaching out, he gently cupped the other man’s cheek, pulling him in for a gentle kiss. “This is just a hands on approach I didn’t think I’d see from you.”

“Well, I certainly couldn’t let Lorenzo Rey keep her,” Magnus said with a sardonic twist.

“It’ll be fine,” Alec said. “I was just surprised. We’ll have her for a few days while Catarina is gone and then celebrate Christmas when she leaves.”

“Weeks,” Magnus corrected.

“What?”

“Catarina is going for a few weeks.”

Alec’s hand dropped. “Well, that’s... that’s...”

“I shouldn’t have said yes.”

“No. You’re right. Catarina has no one else. It’ll be fine.” Alec smiled, leaning in to kiss him again. “When is Catarina dropping her off?”

A knock sounded from outside the apartment. “Now?”

“Were you expecting her this late?” Alec asked as they moved to answer the door.

“I was expecting her tomorrow morning,” Magnus answered, opening the door.

Madzie waved at Magnus as soon as she caught sight of him, then grinned when she saw Alec behind him. “Uncle Alec!” she exclaimed, brushing past Magnus and running to the Shadowhunter.

Alec scooped her up, laughing. “How’s my favorite little warlock?” he asked.

“Well, I see who the favorite is here,” Magnus commented. As Catarina stepped inside, he flicked his fingers, closing the door.

“She’s been talking for days about spending time with Magnus and Uncle Alec,” Catarina said.

“How does Alec rate ‘uncle’ and I don’t?” Magnus asked as Alec set Madzie back on the floor.

Madzie grinned at Magnus, skipping over to hug his legs.

“Is that supposed to make it better?” he asked.

Madzie giggled in reply. “Yes, Paman.”

Magnus looked down as Madzie in surprise as Catarina twisted her hand, pulling a sheet of paper out of the air. “Madzie’s routines, food preferences, where her training has progressed to.”

The warlock accepted the sheet as another gesture produced a backpack and suitcase. Catarina handed the backpack to Madzie and passed the suitcase to Alec when he held out his hand. “I really appreciate you watching her,” Catarina said.

“Of course, Catarina,” Alec told her.

She stared at him for a minute. “You had absolutely no idea.”

Alec considered lying to her for about half a minute before admitting, “Not until about two minutes before you knocked.”

She frowned. “I can try to find someone…”

“Nonsense,” Magnus interrupted her, “we wouldn’t have you leave the sweet pea with anyone else.”

“Magnus is right,” Alec agreed when Catarina turned an unconvinced look on him. “Go. Have a good visit with your family. We’ll be fine.”

Catarina knelt down, gathering Madzie into a hug. “You be a good girl for Alec and Magnus, okay? And I’ll see you in no time.” Standing up, she brushed her eyes, both men pretending not to see the tears. “Thank you.”

Madzie stepped back, latching onto Alec’s belt as Catarina opened a portal. As the other warlock vanished from sight, Alec looked down at the little girl. “She’ll be back,” he assured her.

Magnus clapped his hands, turning to face the two of them. “So. What shall we do first?”

Alec scooped Madzie up as she yawned. “Bed, Magnus. Little warlocks need lots of sleep.” He paused on his way towards their room. “ _Do_ you have a plan for where she’s going to sleep?”

Magnus made a gesture, keeping his movements small for once, before Alec turned back around to see if the warlock was following them. “Check the room beside ours,” he answered.

Madzie gasped at the sight of the room, wiggling until Alec let her down. Running into it, she spun around in glee before running back to Magnus and hugging his legs again. 

Alec leaned against the door jam as Madzie flitted from place to place, examining the room. Magnus had decorated with sea greens and blues, creating a space that fit the little girl. Pillows mounded the bed which was a raised mattress on the floor instead of a traditional bed and a low bookshelf lined one wall.

“How about we leave you to get settled, Sweet Pea?” Magnus asked.

Alec sighed. “Magnus.” He herded Madzie towards the bed. “Go onto bed. I’ll be there in a minute.”

Magnus sighed when Alec came into their bedroom a few minutes later. “I’m not doing very well with this, am I?”

Alec stopped unbuttoning his shirt long enough to lean over and kiss Magnus. “You’re doing fine. How about I take her with me tomorrow?”

“To the institute? Is that wise?”

“They aren’t going to hurt a child, Magnus. Even a warlock child.”

“Fine then.”

 

 

Alec knew there was someone in bed with him, but the weight was too slight to be Magnus. Cracking his eyes open, he found Madzie lying face to face with him. “Good morning, Madzie,” he commented.

She grinned in response, reaching out to touch his nose.

“Did you make Magnus disappear?”

Shaking her head, Madzie pointed towards the kitchen.

“How about we go see what’s for breakfast?”

“Pancakes!”

“I’m pretty sure if Magnus _didn’t_ make pancakes, we can talk him into it,” Alec told her. Getting out of bed, he scooped her up. Settling her on his hip, he made his way to the kitchen. “I found a little warlock in my bed this morning,” he commented.

Magnus looked over his shoulder, smiling to see the two of them standing in the doorway. “She crawled in bed with us at some point,” he commented.

Alec pulled a chair out, setting Madzie down. “She had a request for breakfast.”

“Pancakes!” Madzie announced.

“Well, isn’t it a good thing I’m making pancakes then?” Magnus asked.

Alec began setting the table, pausing when he realized Madzie now had a puzzle and coloring book sitting in front of her. “Madzie, where did you get those?”

Magnus set a plate overflowing with pancakes down on the table, passing Alec a cup of tea as Alec took a seat. “Put your toys aside, Sweet Pea.”

“Magnus, she didn’t…”

“Alexander, she’s a warlock,” Magnus reminded him. He set a couple of pancakes on her plate before passing them to Alec. “I wouldn’t worry about them.”

“I guess I’ve gotten used to the way you do things,” Alec commented.

 

Magnus looked at the remains of the breakfast he’d made as Alec came back into the kitchen from getting dressed. “Are you planning to come back here tonight?”

“I was.” Madzie looked up from the game she was playing. “Madzie, would you like to go with me this morning?”

“See Izzy and Jace and Clary?” Madzie asked.

“Yes,” Alec told her. “Go get…” he stopped as Madzie’s clothes changed from pajamas to day clothes. “All right. Give me a minute.” He turned to Magnus. “I’ll make some arrangements to work a little less for some of the next few days unless there’s an emergency,” Alec said as he reached for his thigh sheath. As he buckled it on, he continued, “We’ll have to figure out some things to do.”

“We could go to the zoo,” Magnus suggested.

A quick glance showed Madzie was engrossed in the toy she’d conjured. “I’m absolutely not taking the two of you to the zoo. Madzie will not listen to ‘we’ll come back later to free them’ I’m sure.” Alec finished with the buckles and said, “Ready to go to work with me, little warlock?”

Madzie hopped down, reaching for Alec’s hand with one of hers and holding the other one out in front of her to open a portal. “Bye, Paman,” she called cheerfully.

Alec quickly kissed Magnus before stepping through the portal with Madzie. On the other side, she dropped his hand, but stayed close to him as the Shadowhunters looked up at their abrupt arrival.

“Clearly we need to work on reaction time,” Alec commented when he noted that only Jace had raised a weapon immediately upon their arrival. The other Shadowhunters had finally reacted, but some of them were still only now reaching for weapons.

Jace lowered his Serph blade as he recognized his parabatai and the little girl next to him. “Something you forgot to mention?” he drawled.

“I had an eventful night,” Alec replied.

Jace’s blade disappeared as he commented, “You didn’t think to warn anyone?”

As soon as the blade had vanished from sight, Madzie was moving, running across the floor to slam into Jace, who scooped her up and spun her around, smiling at her. “Jace!” she exclaimed.

Alec looked at the Shadowhunters that were milling around. “I believe all of you have work to do. And don’t think I’ll forget your reaction times.”

Jace settled Madzie on his hip as he fell in step with Alec, who headed towards his office. “So why are you portaling in and why do you have Madzie? Is Catarina all right?”

“Catarina’s fine. She’s visiting her family. Magnus volunteered to watch Madzie while she’s gone,” Alec explained succinctly. 

Izzy burst into the office. “Madzie’s here?” she demanded.

Another man would have rolled his eyes, but Alec just pointed to where Jace was sitting with the small warlock in question. “If you can pry her away from Jace.”

The female Shadowhunter wiggled her fingers at Madzie. The young warlock looked between the two foster siblings as if torn over who to choose. Jace nudged her. “Go tell Izzy hello.”

Madzie slipped out of his grip, skipping over to Izzy, and smiling as the other Shadowhunter wrapped her up in a hug. “How about you and I go to the armoury for some girl time?” Izzy suggested.

“Now that’s a sentence you don’t hear every day,” Alec commented.

Madzie nodded eagerly as Izzy took her hand. “We’ll see you boys later,” Izzy called over her shoulder as they left the office.

Alec dropped into his chair. “Well, this is going to be an interesting week.”

 

 

Magnus stepped out of his workroom as Alec and Madzie exited the portal she’d created to bring them home from the Institute. “Did you two have a good day?” he asked, accepting the kiss Alec offered him and bending to hug Madzie.

The young warlock smiled sunnily before taking off towards the room she was staying in. “She bonded with Izzy,” Alec explained. “I don’t know if I’m glad or terrified.”

“Well, they didn’t try to take over the world, so why don’t we call it a win?” Magnus suggested.

“They could have made the plan today,” Alec pointed out.

“Why don’t we worry about it after dinner?” Magnus asked. “Get Madzie for me, would you? Dinner will be on the table in about five minutes.”

 

 

After dinner, Magnus took Madzie into the workroom while Alec spread some paperwork to go over out on the table. He was engrossed in it when he felt a hand tugging at his sleeve and looked up to find Madzie staring at him while Magnus watched from the doorway. “Is something wrong?” he asked.

“Its bedtime according to the schedule and Madzie wants us both to put her to bed,” Magnus explained.

“I can do that. Just let me…” Alec looked at the papers that seemed to have multiplied while he was attempting to make sense of them.

Magnus made a gesture. “If I may…?”

Alec nodded and Magnus cleaned up the papers with a quick burst of magic that made Madzie giggle. Alec stood up, scooping the little warlock up, and heading for the bathroom. “Did she have a bath?” he asked over his shoulder.

By the time, Madzie had gotten her bath and changed into pajamas, she was blinking tiredly. “Story?” she asked as Alec tucked her into bed.

“What kind of story would you like?” Magnus wanted to know.

“Aladdin,” Madzie decided.

“Arabian nights, it will be,” Magnus agreed. “Come to a faraway place. A hot, dark place. Where magic is as common as the people who walk the sands.” As he spoke, his hands moved and the story began to take place in the air. Alec leaned against the wall, watching as Magnus’s voice and spells weaved a wonderful story for a captivated little girl.

When the story ended, Alec stepped forward, brushing a kiss across her forehead. “We’ll see you in the morning,” he promised.

Magnus wrapped an arm around Alec’s waist as they walked towards their own bedroom. “So, this isn’t too bad,” he commented.

“No, it’s not. And I’m glad we have her,” Alec replied.

Magnus tilted his head up, inviting a kiss. “Me, too.”

 

Paman—uncle in Indonesian


End file.
